Data Center Developers Face New Hurdles and Turn to Alternative Power Sources

Data center developers are facing a more restrictive building environment after voters across the country elected candidates who favor moratoriums and ballot measures that place obstacles in the way of expansion. These new political hurdles are expected to slow down future development projects as local communities push back against the rapid growth of these facilities.

At the same time, builders are encountering long wait times of several years to gain access to the electrical grid and acquire new turbines. To cope with these delays, some reports say developers are turning to an unusual solution by utilizing once-discarded jet engines to generate power.

While this approach helps bypass the lengthy grid wait times, it is noted as being less efficient and less environmentally friendly than standard power sources. The combination of stricter local regulations and power generation challenges points to an increasingly difficult operating landscape for the data center industry.